Tension device for harvester-binders



PATENTED JAN. 5, 1904. J. F. HARNISH.

TENSION DEVICE FOR HARVESTER BINDERS.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 24, 1901.

N0 MODEL.

ail

W m if i m: Norms PETERS 0o. vumoumo, wAsnmm'oN, n. c.

in the claims.

UNITED STAT S Patented January 5, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. HARNISH, OF WEST EARL TOWNSHIP, LANCASTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA. V

TENSION DEVICE FOR HARVESTER-BINDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 749,055, dated January 5, 1904. Application filed April 24, 1901 Serial No. 57,231. (No model.)

This invention relates to improvements in tension devices for self-binding harvesters; and the objects ofmy improvements are, first, to regulate the feeding of the twine to the needle, and, second, to prevent kinking of the twine.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of the various parts, as hereinafter fully described and then pointed out In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a horizontal section on broken line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a top plan view thereof. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified construction, and Fig. 5 a horizontal section thereof on broken line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an outer end view of the eye, through which the binding-twine passes between the ball or spool and the tension mechanism.

Similar numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views.

The frame of my device consists of plates 1 and 3 bound together at one end by bolts4 and connected at the other end with its support by a clasp, as will be described. These plates 1 and 3 are bent or turned inward at the ends, so that they form an open-sided box, as it were. On the outer and free inturned ends 6 and 7, respectively, of plates 1 and 3 are outward1yextending lips 7 and 8, bound together by said bolts 4, and in the inner face of each lip 7 and 8 is a groove, which grooves when the parts are united form a short tube or elongated eye 10, wherethrough the twine passes from the ball to the tension.

On the inner inturned ends of plates 1 and 3 are jaws 11 and 12, respectively, having sockets 13 therein, that serve as caps to embrace a ball 14 on the end of a stem 15, supported by a clamp-frame. Ball 14 is formed on the extremity of the screw-stem 15, engaging a threaded opening in the connecting member 16 of the jaws 17 of the clamp-frame. Jaws 11 and 12 are bound together by a clamp-screw l8, wherethrough the tension frame is clamped in an adjusted position on ball14. This clamp-frame may be attached to any projection or member 19, as shown, by a clam p-screw 20.

The socket connection 13 14' allows the tension device to be attached to any available portion of the harvester regardless of the direction in which the same may be disposed and yet permits said device to be adjusted to an operative position.

21 indicates a spool or sheave located adjacent to the jaws 11 and 12 of the tensionframe. This sheave is journaled in plates 1 and 3 of the tension-frame, and it has a roughened or corrugated bearing-surface 22, where the twine 23 passes around it. The sheaveis preferably constructed of wood,and its bearing ends are faced with metal plates 24. Above the sheave slots 25 are made in plate 1 of the tension-frame, and through the slots pass the ends of a spring 26, having anopening therein that passes over the spindle 27 of sheave 21, extending up through top plate 1 of the tension -frame, and on this spring and engaging spindle 27 of the sheave 21 is a clamp-screw 28.

Between the sheave and the inlet-eye 10 is located a pair of tension-rollers 29 and 30, respectively, betweenwhich passes twine 23 in its course from eye 10 to sheave 21. The tension-rollers 29 and 3( are yieldingly held together by springs 31, hearing on the spindles 32 of the roller 30. The spindles of this roller have their bearings in slots 33 of the plates of the tension-frame, the rollers 29 being journaled in fixed bearings.

In Figs. 4 and 5 is showna construction whereby the slack of the twine is taken up by the action of a flat spring 34, pressing the twine 23 against sheave 21. Spring 34 has one end bolted to one of the turned-in outer ends of plates 1 or 3, and thence it extends in an approximately horizontal direction to sheave 21. The spring 34 passes and is connected with a vertically-disposed brace 35, having an end secured to each of the plates 1 and 3 of the tension-frame, and spring 34 is connected with brace 35 by a screw 36, adapted to adjust the tension of spring 34 in its pressure of twine 23 against sheave 21.

It will be seen that in both these constructions means are provided for taking up the slack of the twine, whereby the feed to the sheave is so regulated that sufficient tension is always put upon the twine to permit the sheave to act as a tension thereon.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in a tension device, of oppositely-located plates, the ends of each plate being turned toward the ends of the other plate and then said ends of both plates turned away from and in the direction of the length of,said plates, one pair of said ends having grooves in their inner faces forming an eye, the other pair of said ends engaging a support, and a tension-sheave journaled in said plates, for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, in a tension device for harvesters, of oppositely-located plates forming a frame, an eye formed at one end of said frame, a tension-sheave between the ends of the frame, and a universal joint connecting the other end of the frame with its support.

3. The combination, in a tension device for harvesters, of oppositely-located plates forming a frame, an eye formed at one end of said 4 frame, a tension-sheave between the ends of the frame, sockets on the other ends of the sides of the frame, a ball embraced by said sockets and a screw regulating the pressure of the sockets on the ball, for the purpose specified.

JOHN F. HARNISH. Witnesses:

C. G. BASSLER, WM. R. GERHART. 

